JET SOURCE added four more aircraft to its charter fleet - a Westwind II, two Hawker 800As and a Hawker 400-731. The aircraft will be based at Jet Source's headquarters at the McClellan-Palomar Airport (CRQ) in Carlsbad, Calif. Jet Source, which was founded 10 years ago, manages a fleet of aircraft that ranges from Beechcraft King Airs to Gulfstreams. Jet Source also provides maintenance, avionics, ramp service fuel sales and other aircraft services from its Carlsbad facilities that include more than 120,000 square feet of hangar space.
THE HOUSE and Senate last week each approved a short-term funding bill that would keep most of the federal government - including the Federal Aviation Administration - operating until Nov. 16 under current fiscal 2007 funding levels. The "continuing resolution" would provide Congress additional time to complete work on fiscal 2008 appropriations bills.
Piper Aircraft selected Garmin International to develop an avionics suite for the new single-engine PiperJet, the companies announced during last week's NBAA annual meeting and convention in Atlanta, Ga. Garmin will provide a cockpit with two primary flight displays that will interface with Garmin's Attitude and Heading Reference System and a multifunction display that will include engine performance and situational data such as location, terrain, traffic, weather and airport information. Garmin also will supply its Automatic Flight Control System three-axis autopilot.
PREMIER AIRCRAFT, LLC is working with Safe Flight Instrument Corporation to certify Safe Flight's AutoPower automatic throttle systems on Falcon 50 and CitationJet series business jets. The system is designed to increase situational awareness, reduce crew workload and provide accurate speed control and engine target setting. The system, certified on more than 40 aircraft types and installed on more than 9,000 civil and military aircraft, is offered on the Gulfstream G200, and Bombardier Challenger 604, 605, 850 and CRJ 200.
THE MOOD at last week's NBAA convention in Atlanta was extremely upbeat, with OEMs continuing to report very strong order intake for new business aircraft. Dassault Falcon President John Rosanvallon characterized the current market as "fairly unusual, if not incredible." The health of business aviation sales has been closely linked to the state of the U.S. economy for decades, but strong growth in international sales is boosting confidence that the business aviation market may be less cyclical than it used to be.
ARINC DIRECT introduced two new services at last week's NBAA show. The transportation communications and systems engineering company now is offering wireless mobile flight planning.
Following "a great deal of negotiation" with Taiwanese investors who have spent hundreds of millions of dollars attempting to get the Sino Swearingen SJ-30 business jet certificated and into production, a new group of investors says it reached a definitive agreement to acquire a majority stake in the San Antonio, Texas-based aircraft manufacturing enterprise.
HAWKER BEECHCRAFT CORPORATION appointed Fargo Jet Center, Inc., in Fargo, N.D. an authorized service center for Beechcraft Bonanza, Baron and King Air products. Based at Hector International Airport (FAR), Fargo Jet Center provides a range of aircraft support services from facilities that encompass more than 200,000 total square feet. The company is an authorized sales/service center for Rockwell Collins, Honeywell, Garmin, Bendix/King, Avidyne and S-Tec.
Artouste III B, Artouste III B1, and Artouste III D turboshaft engines [Docket No. FAA-2006-23594; Directorate Identifier 2005-NE-54-AD; Amendment 39-15202; AD 2007-19-11] - Remove from service certain fuel pumps that may be installed on U.S.-registered Eurocopter France Alouette III SE.3160, SA.316B, SA.315B and SA.316C helicopters and install serviceable fuel pumps. The FAA issued this directive, which supersedes AD 2005-04-15, to prevent reduced engine fuel flow and subsequent aircraft loss of control or an accident. The new AD is effective October 9.
Model CL-600-2B19 (Regional Jet Series 100 & 440) airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2007-29257; Directorate Identifier 2007-NM-144-AD] - This proposed rule would require operators to conduct repetitive inspections for cracks in the left-side and right-side frame and reinforcement angles at Fuselage Station 640 between Stringer 9 and Stringer 12 and, if needed, corrective actions as specified in Bombardier Alert Service Bulletin 601R-53-061, Revision E (dated December 7, 2006).
Dassault Chairman Charles Edelstenne said the French manufacturer is developing a new Super Mid-Size business jet that will incorporate many of the technologies used in the company's top-of-the-line 7X business jet.
XOJET, a relatively new provider of on-demand charter and aircraft ownership services based in Northern California, outlined aggressive growth plans last week with orders and options for up to 110 new Bombardier and Citation business jets valued at $2.5 billion. The order announcements came as XOJET closed on two separate financing packages valued at $363 million.
Brazilian manufacturer Embraer, in the midst of an unprecedented spool-up of an entire line of business jets, unveiled the details of two new aircraft models last week. Officials took pains to emphasize that the new Midsize Jet (MSJ) and Midlight Jet (MLJ) are just "concepts," and not launched programs at this point, but it is expected both models will eventually go into production. A mockup of the MSJ was on display at last week's NBAA convention in Atlanta.
DELIVERY OF THE 5,000th CITATION was celebrated by Cessna and Rolls-Royce during a ceremony held at the NBAA convention in Atlanta. This milestone delivery was of a Rolls-Royce AE 3007-powered Citation X. The AE 3007C engine has surpassed two million flying hours on the more than 250 Citation X aircraft in service.
Named chairman of the board of directors of Aero Toy Store, the fixed-base operator and aircraft sales firm headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. McMillan retired as chairman and CEO of Sara Lee Corp. and spent more than 20 years with that company. He began his career with McKinsey & Co. as a management consultant.
NATIONAL BUSINESS AVIATION ASSOCIATION Board of Directors changed leadership last week. Jeffrey Lee of IBM Corporation succeeded Kenneth Emerick of GM Worldwide Travel Services as chairman. Pat Cunningham of PepsiCo, Inc. became vice chairman and treasurer, replacing Lee in those roles. Emerick remains on the board's Executive Committee as immediate past chairman. The new leaders were elected to two-year terms in June, and the terms took effect last week.
Promoted to chief pilot for Axis Jet, the Sacramento, Calif. aircraft charter, sales and management firm. Malandrone, who joined Axis Jet shortly after the company was formed in 2004, is an Air Transport Pilot and holds multiple ratings. He also is type rated in the King Air 300/350. He is now responsible for all pilots assigned to Axis Jet aircraft and assists in training and ensuring flight standards requirements are met. In addition to its fleet of King Air turboprops based in Sacramento, the company operates a Gulfstream III based in Scottsdale, Ariz.
PC-6 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2007-29178; Directorate Identifier 2007-CE-074-AD; Amendment 39-15205; AD 2007-19-14] - Conduct repetitive visual and eddy current inspections of the upper wing strut fittings and spherical bearings as specified by Pilatus Aircraft Ltd. Service Bulletin No. 57-005 (dated August 30, 2007). If cracks are found in the upper wing strut fitting, before further flight, replace the fitting following the instructions of the aforementioned service bulletin.
Joined Air Routing International as manager of European sales and marketing, based in Berlin, Germany. Pinhammer has 20 years experience in the aviation handling business, formerly as commercial director of Goldair Handling Greece. While with Goldair, Pinhammer was responsible for setting up handling services for executive, state/VIP and athlete flights for the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. He previously served as director of marketing for GlobeGround Berlin.
MICROTURBO is offering a new APU optimized to meet the needs of business aircraft. The e-APU features a streamlined architecture with two axial turbine stages. The unit will deliver electrical power ranging from 15 to 90 kWe, which, according to the French manufacturer, makes it well suited to meet the demands of new business jets that have higher demands for electrical power. The e-APU will be able to operate at altitudes of up to 51,000 feet, and it has a maximum starting altitude of 41,000 feet.
DUNCAN AVIATION announced the promotion of Todd Duncan to chairman of the company. He succeeds his father, Robert Duncan, who retired Sept. 24, his 65th birthday. The senior Duncan will serve as chairman emeritus. The company, which is headquartered in Lincoln, Neb., has a major facility in Battle Creek, Mich. and satellite offices at airports around the country. Duncan Aviation is a major provider of maintenance, repair, overhaul and modification services for business aircraft operators. The enterprise was founded in 1956 by Donald Duncan, Robert's father.
CAE and Bombardier are adding a new Global Express full flight simulator to CAE's Emirates-CAE Flight Training facility in Dubai, U.A.E. The simulator will be ready for training in mid-2009. CAE in June was named an authorized training provider for Global Express, Global 5000 and Global Express XRS aircraft programs. Global aircraft training also is offered at Bombardier's Montreal training center and will be provided at CAE's Burgess Hill training center in the United Kingdom beginning in spring of 2008.
32,000: National Business Aviation Association's 60th annual Meeting and Convention last week in Atlanta, Ga. attracted more than 32,000 visitors, down slightly from the 33,088 at the 2006 show in Orlando, Fla. The convention sold 5,200 booth spaces to a record 1,152 exhibitors. The static display at Fulton County Airport drew 115 aircraft.
